# The most reliable lighter I've ever owned is...



## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

a cheapo Ronson Jetlite! I have a $40 Blazer PB-207 and a $20 Nibo dual flame. The Nibo has times where it works perfectly and others where it just won't light. The PB-207 was pretty similar but much more reliable than the Nibo, but there were times I had to click twice or three times before it lit.

Now, I always purge my lighters before a refill and I always use premium butane (minimum 3x refined). I've been using the Ronson once in a blue over the past year since it's my lighter I leave at work and use when the wife and I are hitting a place we can smoke after work. But lately since my Blazer quit on me (turns out the metal lighting wick is just gone! must've fallen off) I tried switching to the Nibo but it's frustatingly finicky. So, I switched to the Ronson and have been using it straight for 1-2 weeks now - don't forget I've used my other one over a year but occasionally.

The Ronson just always lights! NEVER a problem, not even once. It lights first time every time. But wait!! There's MORE!!! (TV pun) The Ronson is _the_ most windproof butane lighter I've ever seen. Every other butane I've used, and there have been many, go out with the slightest little breeze, they are sooo sensitive to any moving air.

Not the Ronson! The wife and I were out yesterday at an outside German beer hall and it was insanely windy, one of the huge ubmrella's actually got lifted out of a table. The Ronson kept lit each time I fired up my RP Decade. The wind was taking a toll on the cigar so I had to retorch it a few times. So I looked at the lighter to analyze _why_ the Ronson stays lit when none of the others do and think I might know why. Ronson seems to bury the torch nozzle deeper down than your typical lighter and they seem to run a tighter shaft. With most of my lighters the nozzle is relatively close to the top and have a wider shaft. I think this placement with the narrower shaft gives the Jetlite it's wind resistance.

I got mine for like ~$5 and bought two. The only drawback to the Jetlite's are you can't see the fuel level, and the lighter spring is the toughest I've ever used. It takes a lot of thumb pressure to get that thing down. Not a problem for me by any means but I'd think an older smoker or someone with arthritis might have a difficult time with the trigger.

So to sum it up, the cheapo Ronson Jetlite in my opinion is the top dog among butane lighters. The functionality and price can't be beat.

Rev.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Dupont X-Tend :yell:


----------



## thegoldenmackid (Mar 16, 2010)

I've owned quite a few. My Colibri Boss II still lights up every time on the first try. Is it still a tad bit expensive? Absolutely.


----------



## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Dupont X-Tend :yell:


$195!? :faint2:

Rev.


----------



## TripleF (May 16, 2007)

So far it's been my Z-Plus insert for my Zippo.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Rev2010 said:


> So to sum it up, the cheapo Ronson Jetlite in my opinion is the top dog among butane lighters. The functionality and price can't be beat.
> 
> Rev.


Ditto! I have them stashed everywhere; car, couple of places at home, office. I think I have about 9 or 10. Everytime I stop at the CVS by work I seem to end up buying one.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

So you guys want to see a lighter that stands the test of time?

*Here ya go!*










I can't even remember how old this lighter is but it still lights on the first try *every time*, it has never been purged, it uses nothing but cheap Ronson fuel. :tu


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Rev2010 said:


> $195!? :faint2:
> 
> Rev.


Actually it cost me $125 3 years ago at Atlantic cigars. Combined it with a Palio cutter for $200 for the both out the door. They are both guaranteed for life. So break it down If they last 10 years that's $20 a year for the best cutter lighter there is. 20 years that's $10 a year . But wait if they break i return them and get new ones so its even less than that. I don't need to purge the lighter or stick it in a freezer or buy 99 times refined fuel. I just fill it up and use it. Lights first time everytime. The cutter is still as sharp as the day i got it. And i smoke at least 500 cigars a year. My Xi-kars used to get dull after 6 months.:martini:


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Actually it cost me $125 3 years ago at Atlantic cigars. Combined it with a Palio cutter for $200 for the both out the door. They are both guaranteed for life. So break it down If they last 10 years that's $20 a year for the best cutter lighter there is. 20 years that's $10 a year . But wait if they break i return them and get new ones so its even less than that. I don't need to purge the lighter or stick it in a freezer or buy 99 times refined fuel. I just fill it up and use it. Lights first time everytime. The cutter is still as sharp as the day i got it. And i smoke at least 500 cigars a year. My Xi-kars used to get dull after 6 months.:martini:


But does it have the beautiful patina that my Ronson above has? :r

I would love to have the X-tend but I can't justify buying one as long as my Ronson keeps ticking.


----------



## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> They are both guaranteed for life. So break it down If they last 10 years that's $20 a year for the best cutter lighter there is. 20 years that's $10 a year . But wait if they break i return them and get new ones so its even less than that.


I get ya, and I'm sure it's an awfully nice lighter. But I guess my point in all this is this cheapo lighter (can be had some places for $3 or so) outdoes or performs as good as the best out there that cost much more.

@Habano, yeah I've seen that pic from you before! LOL, awesome. Mine's getting some copper showing through.

Rev.


----------



## Hawnted (Oct 20, 2009)

My Ronson is not bad by any means, but I get no where near the performance most speak of. Maybe I got a bad one? Are you guys using 3x refined fuel in the Ronson? Or just Ronson Fuel? I would say just about every time I go to light it it takes 2-3 times before it lights up. I will vouch for it being very windproof though...

My Colibri Firebird lights up every time first try though. I know most people think Colibri lighters suck, and maybe they do, but mine lights up first try every try. And I guess that is all that matters.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Habanolover said:


> But does it have the beautiful patina that my Ronson above has? :r
> 
> I would love to have the X-tend but I can't justify buying one as long as my Ronson keeps ticking.


I hear ya bro! If i was as lucky as you guys to find a cheapo lighter that works. I would not have gone the route i did. I went for it because of frustration , never found a cheap lighter that worked. I have a buddy that uses matches only for that reason.:yo:


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Rev2010 said:


> I get ya, and I'm sure it's an awfully nice lighter. But I guess my point in all this is this cheapo lighter (can be had some places for $3 or so) outdoes or performs as good as the best out there that cost much more.
> 
> @Habano, yeah I've seen that pic from you before! LOL, awesome. Mine's getting some copper showing through.
> 
> Rev.


If i was so lucky as you to find one that worked that well for that price i would buy a case of them. Not only that if i lose mine i am sunk expensive to replace.:croc:


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Rev2010 said:


> @Habano, yeah I've seen that pic from you before! LOL, awesome. Mine's getting some copper showing through.
> 
> Rev.


That pic is over a year old. You should see it now. LOL



TonyBrooklyn said:


> I hear ya bro! If i was as lucky as you guys to find a cheapo lighter that works. I would not have gone the route i did. I went for it because of frustration , never found a cheap lighter that worked. I have a buddy that uses matches only for that reason.:yo:


I think it is like anything else that is at a cheap price. You get some lemons and get some jewels. I just happened to get a real jewel!


----------



## Jenady (Nov 23, 2009)

Tony I have to agree with you. I use several different lighters. Most of them are cheap. That includes more than one Ronson. I just do not have as good of results as some do. Every one of mine has failed to light at some time. I do use Ronson fuel but I have never heard any complaints about it. It must be something I do.

So far my most dependable lighter is my Little Buddy with the clear tank. It almost always works. I have been gifting some small Asian made lighters that look sort of like the Little Buddy. So far the one I use has worked very well.


----------



## Rev2010 (Sep 3, 2008)

Hawnted said:


> Are you guys using 3x refined fuel in the Ronson?


I have two of them. In one I use Zippo butane which doesn't say how refined it is. In the other I use Vector 5x refined butane.

Rev.


----------



## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

Rev2010 said:


> I have two of them. In one I use Zippo butane which doesn't say how refined it is. In the other I use Vector 5x refined butane.
> 
> Rev.


I use regular Ronson fuel.


----------



## Hawnted (Oct 20, 2009)

Habanolover said:


> I use regular Ronson fuel.


I must have had a couple of bad ones. In one I used Colibri fuel, and the other, Ronson, neither lit every time. Probably took 2 or 3 times to light most of the time. Like I said, they were not bad, but worse than the other lighter I own.


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

I gotta get down with Donnie and Rev. To me, a lighter is only as good, as cool, as coveted, as it lights a cigar. I don't care about names, aesthetics, precious metals, or mechanisms I can't pronounce. A hammer is only as good as it drives a nail.

Based on the above criteria, the Ronson Jetlite is perfect.


----------



## Hawnted (Oct 20, 2009)

Well respected minds have spoken....I am going back to CVS to get another one and test my luck. Hell, I will be out $5 bucks with a solid backup lighter if it turns out like the other 2. They work just maybe not on the first click.


----------



## chaone (Aug 1, 2010)

The Xitar Element is the best lighter I have ever owned. I fill with Vector 5 and never had any trouble out of all 5 I now own. Xitar fixed the problems with the Ellipse by bringing out the Ellipse II, a real fine lighter. You just can't go wrong with either one of these. Lifetime warrenty, of course. I have 9 other lighters that don't measure up for lighting cigars as well as the afore mentioned.


----------



## Scardinoz (Mar 15, 2010)

I bought a Colibri Firebird lighter last March and it has been rather frustrating. I didn't read up on it or check other brands so I have no one to thank for a poor purchasing decision but myself. I just went it, grabbed a lighter, clicked it on, saw that it worked, and bought it.

Now I am putting a bit more thought into it. I would really prefer a soft flame because I find it easier to avoid scorching the tobacco. I am considering defying the common logic and picking up a Zippo lighter since I wouldn't mind adding the 2 seconds of lighter fluid burn-off time to my lighting ritual.


----------



## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Count me as one of the Ronson faithful even though I stray by buying other lighters lately. My first Ronson keeps working even with it going thru the washer and dryer twice ( ask my wife where all the dings inside the drum of the dryer came from...she didn't find that amusing at all ) and it does as Donnie says...don't need to purge or fiddle with the adjustments to lower or raise the flame...it's actually an idiot proof lighter if there is such a thing. I like Donnies...that age makes it look like a Veteran from the civil war...class.


----------



## d_day (Aug 24, 2008)

The Bic disposables are hands down the most reliable lighters I've ever used.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Jenady said:


> Tony I have to agree with you. I use several different lighters. Most of them are cheap. That includes more than one Ronson. I just do not have as good of results as some do. Every one of mine has failed to light at some time. I do use Ronson fuel but I have never heard any complaints about it. It must be something I do.
> 
> So far my most dependable lighter is my Little Buddy with the clear tank. It almost always works. I have been gifting some small Asian made lighters that look sort of like the Little Buddy. So far the one I use has worked very well.


Thanks for the info i need to pick up a cheap every day lighter. Been carrying around the x-tend for 3 years now. Sooner or later i am bound to lose it.


----------



## gibson_es (Jan 23, 2010)

i have a xikar element and it is the best i have had, i use lucienne butane, great price and its quadruple-refined, but i used to use ronson (the lucienne is cheaper, and there is more in the can) i use the xikar while doing 70 MPH on a major road with both windows down, and it preforms flowlessly, if i ever get the torch i really want, the element will be my truck torch. it lights on the first time, every time, and the punch on bottom works better them any punch i have used before, and i feel comfortable knowing that it has a lifetime warrenty............that being said, you could go trough 10 ronsons for the price of this one xikar, and its one of there cheaper models, i have a couple ronsons around that i use when i leave the xikar in the truck and am to lazy to get it, they work great as well, but not as good as the xikar........thats just my experiance and opinion, and if i ever lost my xikar, there is a good chance i would just go with using ronsons, just because i dont feel like paying $50 for a torch anytime soon.


----------



## Rosie (Jul 10, 2010)

I had a Blazer Micro Torch 10 nyears ago and it was fantastic, but I lost it. After experimenting with many lighters both cheap and posh, I've come back to Blazer. I have an EVO and a CG-001, with another CG-001 on order. They work perfectly every time, and they don't seem to mind cheap Ronson butane.

All this talk of the Ronson Jetlite has piqued my curiosity, and I'll probably pick one up soon just to see how it is. Also, one of these days when I have an extra hunderd bucks burning a hole in my pocket, I wanna get me one of those schmancy Xikar table lighters. They look classy! :smoke:

Cheers,

Rosie


----------



## logos (Jul 27, 2010)

I am hoping to pick up a Ronson soon


----------



## kenelbow (Jan 14, 2010)

I own three Ronsons and they all work perfectly with the cheapo BernzOmatic butane I get for free from my wife's hardware store. Can't ask for a better deal than that.


----------



## friz (Jul 24, 2008)

I have owned my ronson for two years and it never fails. I just put ronson fuel in it


----------



## obleedo (Feb 4, 2010)

I have the Xikar Ellipse II and its fantastic, the lifetime warrenty and Xikars reputation helped but I can honestly say I have never had one misfire with it. I dont think it matter what kind of lighter youve got, as long as it gets your stick burning its alright by me


----------



## chaone (Aug 1, 2010)

obleedo said:


> I have the Xikar Ellipse II and its fantastic, the lifetime warrenty and Xikars reputation helped but I can honestly say I have never had one misfire with it. I dont think it matter what kind of lighter youve got, as long as it gets your stick burning its alright by me


I have one also. Hey, you might as well light up with a bit of class!


----------



## jimrockford (Jul 6, 2010)

I've been using a $15 no-name lighter I got on Amazon a while back. It's worked pretty well but I think I'm going to pick up a Ronson or two just to have a backup. Sounds like a heck of a deal!


----------



## obleedo (Feb 4, 2010)

Yea you cant pass that up


----------



## MrMoJoe (Jul 25, 2008)

Ronson Jetlite. Worked great when I first bought it, but after a couple of weeks, it wouldn't light at all, even after refilling. I bought another one and the same thing happened. Then about a year ago, I learned on here about purging, and both have worked flawlessly since - on Ronson fuel! My 12 year-old daughter thinks it's a "fancy" lighter!


----------



## chaone (Aug 1, 2010)

The best table lighter I ever owned is this Rocky Patel promo with no manufacture's name on it. It is a triple torch with a large bladder and is fairly heavy. Does anybody know who made it?


----------



## jessejava187 (Aug 25, 2009)

the Ronson are now my go to, I do have a God Of fire that is pretty good, But im not big on spending money on Lighters and Cutters, But after i got bombed with some Ronsons during the Pain boat they are the shit.


----------



## Syner (Mar 7, 2010)

My most reliable lighter is a Xikar EX. I love the soft flame (it can be a little finicky in the wind) and the windproof feature is really nice. Only problem is it gets a little hot when lighting two cigars at one time.


----------



## gibson_es (Jan 23, 2010)

i love xikar, but if i was gonna have a soft flame i would get another zippo, i love zippos and i wish i still had mine, not for cigars, but for cigs and such.


----------

